This is tricky and sneakyโฆ and youโll want to share this with everyone you know!
Iโve made this mistake SO many times myself over the years, and I *shudder* to think how it affects diabetics and others who are super sensitive to sugar.
Not to mention the fact that it can throw you right out of ketosis! ๐
I discussed this live inside our Low Carb Challenge Group the other night, and I recorded that conversation โ so you can watch the video below.
But I want to make some corrections too, so keep readingโฆ
ย
Starbucks Iced Coffee Includes โSugar Waterโ By Default!
According to their website the hot brewed coffee like Blonde Roast or Pike Place does NOT contain โClassic Syrupโ โ which is basically just sugar water:
โClassic Syrup [Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid]โ
By default, the Iced Coffee โ even if you order it black โ DOES come โlightly sweetenedโ using up to SIX pumps of their Classic Syrup.
This means that a Large (Venti, 20 ounce) โblack iced coffeeโ โ which you would ASSUME is just coffee and ice โ has 30 grams of sugar, and is 30 carbs.
Again, that is BY DEFAULT.
It says on their website that the Starbucks Iced Coffee is served โchilled and lightly sweetened over ice.โ
If you order your iced coffee with a sugar free syrup, such as โa Venti Iced Coffee with sugar free vanilla and heavy cream pleaseโ โ most baristas KNOW to leave out the Classic Syrup.
But regardless of how you order your coffee or tea at Starbucks, hot or cold, to be on the safe side you should always say: โNo Classic Syrup, please.โ
Your drink tag should SAY โno classicโ on it:
Otherwise you may be getting a BIG dose of unexpected sugar!
And I can tell you from personal experienceโฆ you cannot even taste it. Their coffee is quite stout/bitter, so even with the 20-30 grams of sugar water (depending on the size of your coffee) you arenโt likely to notice it.
Correct Carb Count for Heavy Whipping Cream (HWC)
Youโll notice that I ask for โheavy whipping creamโ in my iced coffee. I do like it creamy. ๐ However, next time Iโll definitely ask for โhalf the amountโ because I find itโs entirely TOO creamy. I do that when I order an iced coffee at McDonaldโs too โ I ask for half the amount of cream.
Anyway, I would guess that they use AT LEAST 1/3 cup of heavy cream (HWC) in even a small iced coffee at starbucks, going by the color and taste of mine โ pictured above.
While most cartons of Heavy Whipping Cream SAY zero carbs on the label, thatโs only because the serving size is 1 TBSP. A tablespoon of HWC is actually .4 carbs, so it comes to 7 carbs per cup.
While this may not matter if youโre having 1 tbsp here and there, it certain matters if youโre using 2 full cups in a recipe โ or if youโre getting a large iced coffee that has 1/2 cup or more of HWC in it.
Half & Half is .6 carbs per TBSP (9.6 carbs per cup).
HWC or Heavy Whipping Cream is .4 carbs per TBSP (6.4 carbs per cup).
Again, no matter what the label says, as itโs going by serving size โ and if itโs less than 1 carb โper servingโ they can label it as zero.
If youโve been logging your HWC as zero carbs, or your entry in MyFitnessPal is incorrect, youโll want to find an accurate entry to use to log Heavy Whipping Cream.
I use the entry below myself. To find it in MFP, just search: โUsda โ Cream, Fluid Heavy Whippingโ (without quotes).
ย
Know Whatโs In Your Coffee!
This shocking little โsugar secretโ about the iced coffee at Starbucks really blew me away. But it goes back to taking personal responsibility and knowing whatโs in your food and drink choices.
The only way to know for sure is to look up the Nutrition Facts online.
Starbucks has a very detailed mobile app so you can look things up on the go. You can also look up their menu items online, and discover that a Venti Caffรจ Americano is 4 carbs.
Most chains provide nutrition facts online, and also offer a mobile app where you can customize your meal or food choices to get accurate nutrition facts. Thatโs how I discovered that the ranch dressing at McDonaldโs is TEN net carbs! ๐ฏ
To make it easy I usually carry my own coffee creamer with me on road trips, or when Iโm out & about โ so I can just get a black coffee. I am currently using Coffee-Mate Sugar Free Powdered Hazelnut coffee creamer (below).
The powdered creamer is less carbs than the liquid, and more portable โ no refrigeration required, so itโs great for road trips & hotel rooms. ๐
The hazelnut flavor is the ONLY one Iโve found that I actually like, AND itโs lower in carbs than the other sugar free flavors.
Iโve made the mistake of ordering a โlarge black iced coffeeโ at Starbucks more than once, or a โlarge iced coffee with heavy creamโ and sometimes sugar free vanilla.
Just make sure you say โno classic syrup pleaseโ so you KNOW you arenโt getting the extra sugar water (and lots of extra carbs!). ๐
Iโm not sure how much heavy cream they put into my coffees when I ask for โHeavy Whipping Creamโ instead of milk or half & half, but for my small iced coffee pictured above โ I logged it as 1/3 cup. Although I would venture to guess it may have even been 1/2 cup โ which would come to 3.2 carbs (at .4 carbs per TBSP).
The iced tea at Starbucks is also served โlightly sweetenedโ by default.
A Venti Teavanaยฎ Shaken Iced Black Tea is 16 carbs, with 16 grams of sugar โ even though sugar is NOT listed in the ingredients on their websiteโฆ
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
ย
ย
ย
Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
ย
Thanks for the info , I completely agree that the taste of their coffee would make it hard to tell if anything else is in it ! Yikes !
I was REALLY glad to discover they donโt do this with hot coffee โ as I often order a large black coffee and use my own creamer. ๐ *whew*
Hmm. I just noticed that McDonaldโs has โliquid sugarโ (sugar water) listed in their ingredients for an iced coffee too: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/nutrition-calculator.html but I canโt get it to calculate the nutrition facts for meโฆ and itโs listed twice (at the top AND bottom of the list)โฆ wow.
I ALWAYS GET THE ICE COFFEE BLACK NO ICE ARE SWEETENERS I ADD MY OWN SO IS THAT A GOOD THING ALSO NO CLASSIC
Wow! Just checked the ingredients and nutritional info in the UK. Their Latte packs a real carb punch โ more so with the milk alternatives that I drink. The Americanos seem OK here though. Thanks for the info ๐
Itโs really helpful that they publish the calculators! ๐
I find most Starbucks baristas ask if you want sweetener added to the iced coffee. I always say no sweeteners added for hot or cold beverages at Starbucks or McDonalds. If ordering using a mobile ordering app on my phone, I can order things by saying a splash of heavy whipping cream. Otherwise they can use so much of the heavy whipping cream, I found my hot drinks are sometimes just lukewarm. Yes, be careful of the heavy whipping cream added. Too much is just too much!
Youโre lucky they ask, given itโs the standard way of making their iced drinks. I just discovered McDonaldโs shows โsugar waterโ as an ingredient (by default) on their iced coffee as well โ on the nutrition calculator on their website. Iโll have to make sure to ask them to leave that OUT next time I order iced coffee there too! ๐
I have had the same heavy cream experience as youโฆ when I asked for heavy cream in place of whatever dairy they use they always add the same amount as what they would on regular milk etc so I always have to ask for 1/2 or less. When I forget i normally canโt finish it because itโs so creamy.
Thatโs very good information to have!!! I hardly go to Starbucks but when I do I order iced coffee with HWC and sugar free syrup. I tell them โthatโs all I want in it pleaseโ but if the classic syrup is just part of the norm Iโve probably got it in mine every time!! I think Iโll skip Starbucks to be safe!
Itโs very surprising how many extra carbs are in things. We went to chilis the other day and I was considering ordering fajitas without the extras. I know veggies have carbsโฆ. But their fajitas were 23-26 carbs per plate. I had no idea they were that much. You are correctโฆ. looking up the info for yourself and being responsible is key!
I donโt think the fajitas would be that high in carbs without the tortillas โ just the meat & veggies. Where did you get that carb count? Perhaps it was inaccurate, or included something other than the meat & veggiesโฆ ?
Or maybe it was marinated steak/chicken?
I got the info from chilies PDF nutrition guide. It said โFajitias w/o toppings, tortilla, or sidesโ. I didnโt subtract fiber so 4 less than those totals.. but still pretty high. I also thought it might be the meat but in the section right below it list the fajita meats (steak etc) for 1 carb.
I thought that seemed super high alsoโฆ. maybe there is something extra the throw in their we donโt know about. Some secret sauce or something?
I know onions and peppers can really add up, especially sweet onion โ but I think they use white onion. I might be inclined to call the corporate office or even speak to the local manager and just askโฆ because Iโm curious like that. ๐ lol
Wow, that is amazing news. I had no idea.
I will order more carefully when I go there and not assume anything.
Yikes!
Thanks for the post, such an eye opener, they create the perfect addiction, sugar, fat, caffeine all in one! Buyer beware!
Yes, and itโs important to ask for heavy whipping cream or half & half โ and maybe half the usual amount (because they use A LOT). Because their coconut milk and other dairies also have a lot of sugar in them. ๐
Not sure if you know but SF vanilla also has maltodextrin. Only SF cinnamon dolce is actually SF.
Good to know, Stephanie!
Iโm in the app right now and looking at a 16 oz iced americano. It shows 3 carbs but 0 sugars. And lists espresso and water as the only ingredients. Iโm so confused.
Iโve noticed that on their other espresso drinks. Iโm wondering if itโs because of the trace carbs found in coffee beans, and perhaps the condensed amount used in espresso drinks?
Black coffee means nothing in it. Baristas do not put anything in the a black iced coffee and that is what they are trained to do. I worked there for years.
Iโm confused about the carb count for the americano as well.
This one: https://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/caffe-americano ?
Yes. Does espresso have that many carbs?
Iโm not sure. I know coffee has trace carbs, and espresso is a condensed version โ right? Unless they are adding something to it that is NOT listed in the ingredients? Good question!
I love the iced Carmel macchiato but Iโm trying to get back to my Keto diet & I need to know how to order it.
So.. today I ordered a Grande skinny iced Carmel macchiato with heavy cream & light water. It was really good!
However, after some research today, so farโฆ. I have come up with a Venti iced white Americano, with heavy cream, no classic syrup & 5 pumps of sugar free vanilla (Iโll add my own SF caramel drizzle)โฆwhat do you think? How many carbs do you think that will be? I canโt find an exact recipe but, the most I found on a Starbucks page is 7 carbs..please advise Thanks!
Iโm honestly not sure, Jennifer. I would start here: https://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/iced-caramel-macchiato and use their nutrition sheet & calculator.
I ask for heavy whipping cream, and ask for 4 TBSP (1/4 cup) so I know that is 2 carbs (half a carb per tbsp). Otherwise they can really go overboard with the heavy cream (or not know to use HWC) and that can really add up on me. ๐
You may want to ask the barista if you can see the label on the Heavy Whipping Cream gallon in your areaโฆas a Starbucks barista, I recently finally asked someone on Keto why they order HWC when it has more sugar than any of our other milks (I was genuinely curious). They corrected me and said it has the least sugar. So I showed them the label of the HWC we use which has 3g of sugar PER Tbsp, which at 16 Tbsp per cup, works out to 48g sugar PER cup! I just looked at the HWC we have at home, and it says 0g per Tbsp as you mention. I donโt know what they do to our HWC to make it so sugary, and I imagine different areas of the country have different milk suppliers, so you may want to check for yourself so you know what youโre getting and can count accurately or adjust your order as needed. BTW, the proprietary almond milk Starbucks uses has only 3g of sugar PER cup (not really creamy at all though).
When I use the app and put no classic syrup, my Tall iced coffee with sugar free vanilla and sugar free cinnamon dolce still comes out to 15g carbs? Is that right?
Replying to my own comment. I just figured out that when you put customizations in the App the only thing that will change any of your final numbers on the nutrition label is the size of the cup. All of the nutritional information stays as it is made in the standard drink. So even with no classic syrup and sugar free instead- it will still say 30 carbs!